Paid Holidays: Do You Give Enough?

We’ll soon experience the change of seasons and celebrate Thanksgiving. As I write this Christmas is less than two months away! What will your employees tell their families about your company’s paid holidays policy? Will they be bragging about the time they have off or complaining about the ridiculous demands days spent away from family?

It should be no secret that adequate compensated holidays, aside from standard company allotted paid time off, motivates employees by giving them rest and time spent with family. Agricultural companies have a stereotype of being stringent and inflexible. Live animals and production environments often lend to this perception. Do you fall in this category? How does your organization compare to what others in the agricultural industry are offering their employees?

According to the AgCareers.com Agribusiness HR Review in the U.S. most ag employers participating in the survey, provide employees 6 paid holidays. Most companies provide somewhere between 6 and 10, a combined 79.20% of companies. Six paid holidays was the most frequently selected response (20.79%), followed by 10 (19.80%). Although, some companies provide as few as 5 paid holidays and some 11 or more.

What about Canada? According to the AgCareers.com Agribusiness HR Review in Canada, most ag employers participating in the survey offered 10 or more paid holidays per year, 78.73%. Ten was the next most common response with 38.30%, followed by 13+ (22%). A fewer number of companies provide as little as 5 paid holidays.

The national average of paid holidays in both the U.S. and Canada is 9 days. If your organization provides less than 9 per year, consider the impact this may be having on your ability to attract new talent.

As your employees gather around the table this holiday season what will they share about your organizations employee morale? Creative solutions to provide additional time, pay, and flexibility during holidays are a sure way to give back. In a market where retention is key, perks related to improved work life balance will go far for your employee relations.